Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains Friction

Why do we need friction? In this explainer video, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice get into why, despite how the word is often used, friction is actually our friend. Usually, we talk about friction as a bad thing--slowing things down, heating things up--but not today! Neil explains why without friction, life as we know it would not be possible. Discover how every mode of transportation requires friction. Are there any that don’t require friction? We investigate the lack of friction in space and how we push against the earth. Do we move the earth or does the earth only move us? Could we speed up the rotation of the earth if every person ran in the same direction at the same time? Could you push something heavy if you had no friction? We explore momentum and ancient ideas about friction. What did Aristotle and Galileo think about physics? Where did the idea behind friction come from? Plus, find out why spacecrafts erupt in flames as they reenter Earth’s atmosphere. All that and more on another StarTalk explainer! Support us on Patreon:   / startalkradio   FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/startalk... Twitter:   / startalkradio   Facebook:   / startalk   Instagram:   / startalkradio   About StarTalk: Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up! #StarTalk #NeildeGrasseTyson